Will Pipes Freeze in Martin County, IN? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Martin County
In a normal year Martin County, IN gets 38 nights at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 54% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 12 nights. A 12 ft heat-tape kit runs $17 to $37; an average burst-pipe repair is about $500.
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 10/23, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/27 to 03/11.
How cold Martin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 34°F | 43°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 44°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Martin County next to its neighbours
Lawrence County, IN, 31 km northeast, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Martin County's 38 nights. Daviess County, IN, 24 km west, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County, IN | - | 109 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Daviess County, IN | 24 km west | 94 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Lawrence County, IN | 31 km northeast | 112 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
| Orange County, IN | 32 km southeast | 118 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Dubois County, IN | 37 km south | 108 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Greene County, IN | 42 km northwest | 102 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Pike County, IN | 51 km southwest | 101 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
Martin County within IN
Martin County ranks 65 of 92 IN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Steuben County, IN at 63 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Floyd County, IN: 19 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 623 ft, Martin County sits 136 ft below the state's median county elevation of 759 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Shoals (8 mi S), IN, 17 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.